Pakistani President: US Must Halt Drone Strikes

In a statement delivered today regarding his meetings with US special representative Marc Grossman, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed support for parliament’s recent positions on the Pakistani-US relationship, saying they were a sign of “democracy taking roots in Pakistan.”

Zardari’s statement even went on to directly address the most controversial aspect of US relations, the ongoing US drone strikes against Pakistan’s tribal areas. Zardari said that the strikes violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and were counterproductive.

While that is hardly an earth-shattering position to take, the parliament’s demands were seen by many as a rejection of Zardari’s ambivalence about the drone program and they are some of the most serious comments the pro-US leader has made about the matter.

The Zardari government has mostly claimed opposition to the drone strike program, but has also privately supported it a number of times. The US has repeatedly rejected ending the strikes, but with negotiations ongoing to allow the border to reopen to supplies for the NATO occupation of Afghanistan, the demand could be taken more seriously.

What is the REAL politics of the drones, the real driving force that compels the doughnut and the pentagram to continue unabatted with the drone attacks… Is it the Neocon desire to destabilize Pakistan to such an extent, that the "seals" can swoop in and snatch the Islamic bombs…??? Is it just military housecleaning, truing to keep the genie from taking over in Afpac…?? There is growing outrage and outright hostility at every level of Pak spciety……. and more and more the people see Uncle Sam as Uncle Death….. And fewer and fewer leaders there have ANYTHING good to say about the U.S. and it's motives…. Is Washington willing to sacrifice all co-operation and good will to kill a few resisters to it's presence..???http://photos.thenews.com.pk/e_image_detail.asp?c… http://photos.thenews.com.pk/e_image_detail.asp?p… http://photos.thenews.com.pk/e_image_detail.asp?p…

Why stop now? Keep going and we'll push Pakistan into the hands of radical Islamists and get sucked into a long, bloody and expensive war that would certainly pull in India and might even go nuclear. The MIC and Chinese are smacking their lips.